KEYS TO EFFECTIVE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT

• Avoid consultation fatigue:
- ‘consult’ where feedback will be valued
- ‘inform’ where no feedback is expected
• Be careful to extend to the hard-to-reach, not just the easy to involve
• Offer options, but only feasible options – it is disingenuous to offer undeliverable options
• But consult at a stage when attractive options are still ‘open’ – ie allow people to select an appropriate use for a site not just the preferred appearance of a pre-determined use
• Feedback carefully and quickly – demonstrate that the input given is valued and will make a difference
• Knock on doors – take the issues to the people because you are unlikely to get all views reflected at a meeting – unless perhaps by a subterfuge ie mock proposals to provoke a reaction!
• Be sure to budget carefully for the not inconsiderable costs of consultation – but then reap the rewards of supported proposals
• It is most unlikely that the issues being addressed can be ‘depoliticised’ – therefore the politicians must in turn be engaged with the consultation processes and the feedback from these
• Effective engagement can illustrate the weighing up/prioritising that all planning decisions entail and should gradually build confidence that complex decisions are being carefully considered.

Author:

Andrew Matheson

Publisher:

The Royal Town Planning Institute

Date:

18-Jul-08

Categories:

Networks & Associations 

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